1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector and to a method of assembling connectors, such as the connector of an instrument panel module and a body-side connector of an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-150979 discloses a construction for reducing the number of operation steps required to connect a module-side connector, such as the connector of an instrument panel, with a body-side connector in an automotive vehicle. The construction includes a floating mechanism that enables at least one of the connectors to be displaced in a direction intersecting a connecting direction with respect to the module or the body to correct a possible displacement between the connectors. For example, the floating mechanism may employ springs to support the connector resiliently in a frame on the module or the body. The frame, the spring pieces and the connector housing may be molded integrally from a synthetic resin into a resilient supporting means. The connector is positioned with the mating connector by resiliently deforming the springs and displacing the connector housing.
However, the springs of the above-described connector must be arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the connector housing. This necessarily enlarges the frame.
The connecting construction may include a female connector that is fitted into a receptacle of the male connector. A guiding portion is formed at the leading end of the receptacle of the male connector and is slanted to wider dimensions toward the front to correct for such a displacement. The guiding portion surrounds the peripheral edge of the rear surface of the female connector when the two connectors are connected. The female connector may require a mounting portion for fixed engagement with a bracket of the body or the module. The mounting portion is provided on the rear surface of the female connector so as not to interfere with the receptacle when the two connectors are connected. Wires are drawn out through the rear surface of the female connector. Thus, the mounting portion must project back normal to the rear surface of the female connector from a peripheral portion of the rear surface of the female connector to avoid interference with the wires and the guiding portion. However, the backwardly projecting mounting portion enlarges the female connector in forward and backward directions. Further, the mounting portion extends along a wire draw-out path and hinders the insertion of terminal fittings and the wires into the female connector from behind.
The module is assembled with the body by moving the module, and the two connectors are connected at the end of this movement. However, the module may slide slightly in a direction intersecting the connecting direction after the start of the connecting operation. As a result, the module may get caught and partly locked by a bracket of the body.
A floating mechanism is provided to displace at least one of the connectors with respect to its mount base on the module or body. Thus, the module can slide with respect to the body in a direction intersecting with the connecting direction of the connectors while holding the two connectors connected. A sliding distance of the module preferably is long to ensure a large area of engagement of the module and the bracket. Accordingly, a floating distance of the floating mechanism needs to be increased to ensure a sufficient sliding distance of the module. The above-described guiding portion can correct displacement between the connectors. The dimensions of the guiding portion are determined by a maximum possible displacement between the connectors, and the guiding portion needs to be enlarged as the displacement increases.
The above-described floating mechanism moves the module horizontally and enables the connector to be displaced with respect to the mount base in a direction intersecting the connecting direction before the connection of the two connectors is started. As a result the two connectors may be relatively displaced. The guiding portion corrects such a displacement during the connector of the two connectors.
However, the longer the floating stroke of the floating mechanism, the larger the displacement between the two connectors, and the larger the displacement, the larger the guiding portion. Thus, the guiding portion needs to be enlarged as the floating stroke becomes longer. The increased area of engagement of the module and the bracket achieves a desirably longer floating distance. However, this causes a problem of enlarging the guiding portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,871 and FIG. 45 herein disclose a connector connecting construction for assembling an instrument panel with a dashboard. The construction includes a waiting-side connector 1 mounted on the dashboard and a movable connector 2 mounted on the instrument panel. A resin bracket 3 is secured to the dashboard, and a flange 4 of the waiting-side connector 1 is engageable with four resilient supporting pieces 5 provided respectively at the upper, lower, left and right sides of the bracket 3. The waiting-side connector 1 and the movable connector 2 can be displaced during assembly of the instrument panel with the dashboard by resiliently deforming the respective resilient supporting pieces 5. Thus, the waiting-side connector 1 can be displaced normal to the connecting direction of the connectors 1, 2 so that the two connectors 1, 2 can be positioned properly.
However, the resilient supporting pieces 5 must be deformed resiliently in a process of positioning the two connectors. This increases a force necessary for assembling, and results in poor operability.
In view of the above problem, an object of the present invention is to allow a miniaturization of a connector assembly particularly upon providing a means for taking up a displacement between connectors.